The present study evaluated the effect of NPK fertilization and available soil water levels on the biometric response and water use of sunflower cv. Embrapa 122-V2000. The experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Paraiba State, Brazil, during 2009 and 2010, in a semi-controlled greenhouse using the Eutrofic Regosol. The treatments were defined according to a Baconian matrix, with eleven doses of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and four available soil water levels. The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized design, with three replicates, in a total of 132 sample units. No effect of N and K was observed on plant height. However, it increased significantly with P levels. The stem diameter and the leaf area were affected by the N and K and not by the P. The number of leaves increased significantly with the amount of N, P and K fertilizer. Available soil water content increased significantly in all the variables studied. The best sunflower performance and water consumption were obtained with the 100:120:120 kg·ha-1 NPK and 100% of the available soil water content treatment.